Second Chance Month began in 2017 as a bipartisan resolution from the U.S. Senate and has since grown into a national movement, with support from federal, state, and local agencies, nonprofits, and advocates across the country. In California, it is formally recognized each April by underscoring our state’s commitment to second chances as a cornerstone of public safety and social justice.
Second Chance Month is especially critical for young people experiencing detention in the youth justice system. The month is set aside as a reminder that a person’s past does not define who they are for all time. Their worst decision does not have to define their future. The celebration of second chances encourages us to advocate for the young person who has made amends to society and to allow them to reenter society with a clean slate- to start again with dignity and equal access to rebuilding their lives.
OYCR supports young people while incarcerated by providing technical assistance to counties to develop pathways that promote higher educational access through Rising Scholars, Project Rebound, and Underground Scholars, by funding literacy pilots in multiple counties, by partnering with the California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) to implement the OYCR Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) to support eligible young people in workforce navigation, training, to build soft skills, and connect them to employment, and by promoting Family Engagement to heal relationships and allow the youth to feel welcomed back into the community upon release.
One youth said it best,” I am grateful for being in an environment where I was allowed to change. The hall provided everything I needed: food, school, a roof over my head. I was in a situation where I was told I could change. I was in an environment where people asked, ‘How is your week? Is there anything you want to talk about?’ The hall, and the COs, rewarded and validated me and my peers for the changes we made. It’s like, my effort is being recognized, so I want to keep going”.
Transforming systems to ensure that every youth has what they need in custody and when they leave custody are cornerstones of the work that we do at OYCR. Embracing the possibilities for our youth by developing a second chance pathway allows youth to move forward. They are young people who are in the process of becoming. Accountability is paramount, and so is generating hope for a young person’s future. It is everyone’s job to support their personal transformation because we know that it leads to healthier adolescents, safer communities, and restored neighborhoods.
Judge Katherine Lucero (ret.) Director
Office of Youth and Community Restoration California Health & Human Services Agency
Youth Spotlight
Jaion's Journey
“Dreamcatchers have helped me out so much. Every morning I look forward to going to work because my bosses are very chill and funny and I like seeing the customers happy. Everything they (Dreamcatchers) come by (does) it keeps me out of trouble and has made me become a hard-working man and I thank Dreamcatchers for this.” – Jaion W.
Jaion was referred to Dreamcatchers Empowerment Network (DEN) a few months before his 18th birthday as part of the Youth Employment Initiative in Kern County. He had recently been discharged from custody and is supported by his mom, consistently attended meetings and participated in services with DEN staff. He was considering joining the Job Corps and had made several inquiries about the process for registration.
Although attending appointments, Jaion was in and out of the house, running away and not listening to his mom and dad. His parents began to express their concerns with Jaion wasting DEN’s time and questioning if he was ready for employment.
Jaion, however, continued to show up to meetings where serious conversations had to take place about him making progress. It was at this point where he had an opportunity to participate in paid work experience through the program. The work site was ready to start and Jaion committed.
DEN reports that Jaion is doing amazing with his work experience. The business has mentioned the possibility of hiring him as a permanent employee in the next few months. Jaion has completed his resume and is ready to submit his application when the time comes. DEN is excited to see the progress Jaion has made and is looking forward to supporting him on his continued journey.
Probation Spotlight
Youth learn leadership skills via soccer at Monterey County Juvenile Hall
“Everybody comes from different backgrounds, ethnicities, affiliations, whatever it may be. Sports puts all those things aside and kind of just brings us all together in unison.” - Isaiah
Monterey Juvenile Hall is in collaboration with the Twinning Project – a program aimed at leadership skills by way of sports. The County Juvenile Hall’s first cohort graduated the 10-week program on April 6th. Read More:Youth learn leadership skills via soccer at Monterey County Juvenile Hall
JSN Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 are receiving technical assistance and support to access Medi-Cal funding through the 1115 Waiver. These waivers improve health outcomes by allowing pre-release services, such as case management and mental health treatment, to facilitate community reconnection and reduce recidivism
This final in-person convening was focused on Hip Hop Education and Black and Latino males involved in the juvenile justice system in California. This approach has successful outcomes and strengthens the capacity of CBO's serving youth and families with ACE's, and re-imagines health and wellness through culturally affirming modalities. In addition, we drew on the expertise of community-based organizations such as Beats Rhymes and Life, whose two decades of work in Hip Hop Therapy demonstrate its effectiveness in violence prevention and identity empowerment for young people. Their contributions provided CBO leaders with practical tools and exercises to help cultivate healthier, more vibrant workplace cultures, strengthening individual and team morale and supporting the capacity building needed to access and effectively leverage Medi-Cal.
The convening was a capstone of two years of intense technical assistance provided to these CBOs and complemented the bi-monthly virtual gatherings that brought them together to share best practices and tools to become providers for Managed Care Plans and to access Medi-Cal services.
OYCR plans to continue highlighting the work from our CBO partners in our monthly newsletters and follow Cohort 2, comprised of 10 additional funded partners who will complete their two-year technical assistance journey at the end of 2026.
Voices of Youth Justice
The Power of Credible Messengers as Leaders and Partners
“People underestimate the brilliance that lives in our communities. Just imagine what our world is missing by not having pathways to leadership for people.” —Jessica Nowlan, President of ReImagine Freedom
At OYCR, we know the people closest to the challenges are best positioned to design solutions that actually work. That’s why we invest in organizations led by and for the development of credible messengers—individuals with lived experience who serve as mentors, advocates, and agents of change in California’s youth justice system.
From the Young Women’s Freedom Center to ReImagine Freedom and the Sister Warriors Freedom Coalition, such leaders are transforming communities, shaping programs, and creating pathways to opportunity for young people navigating justice systems.
Read more about how credible messengers are guiding the reimagining of care, accountability, and leadership in our latest blog.
News and Updates
Understanding California’s Youth Arrest Trends
Recently OYCR published a Technical Assistance Brief, Understanding California's Youth Arrest Trends, that aims to answer the question, What can we learn from two decades of progress in California’s youth arrest trends?
Since 2000, youth arrests have fallen 84%. This progress reflects a shift in how we support young people—using research to guide prevention, education, and early support, and focusing on development instead of punishment for those who enter the system.
Save the Date - 2026 California Youth Justice Summit
Heal the Past, Pave the Future: Watering the Seed from Youth Voice to Vision
San Diego Marriott La Jolla - October 5-7, 2026
The 2026 California Youth Justice Summit brings together leaders, practitioners, community organizations, and multidisciplinary partners committed to improving outcomes for youth across California. More details coming soon!
Come work with us - open positions at OYCR!
Ombudsperson Training and Technical Assistance Liaison – Ombudsperson Division - final filing date April 29, 2026: https://lnkd.in/gwdF4CBe
Webinars, Meetings & Events
Youth Justice Action Webinar Series - April 2026
Grounded in Research, Built for Action: Using Juvenile Probation Transformation Online Training Series
This webinar explores the Juvenile Probation Transformation Online Training Series, a free, 7-course online series developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and approved for STC credit by the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC). Participants will gain a clear picture of the series’ scope and interactive content, hear directly from a local jurisdiction about how probation and community leaders have collaboratively put the courses to work, receive hands-on experience with course activities, and leave with the information they need to access the courses and earn their 1.5 hours of STC credit per course.
The Impact of the Juvenile Justice System of African-American Boys & Young Men
The National Compadres Network will host a webinar focusing on the impact of the juvenile justice system on African American boys and young men. This session will create a thoughtful space for participants to reflect, learn, and grow together while examining how systemic involvement has affected not only individuals, but also families and communities.
Grounded in a commitment to healing and transformation, the webinar will move beyond awareness to explore pathways forward—highlighting healing-centered approaches rooted in culture, connection, and collective responsibility. Attendees will hear insights from leaders deeply engaged in this work, including Kweli Tutashinda, Gregory Hodge, Kelvin Potts, and Darius Young, who will share their experiences, perspectives, and visions for meaningful change.
This webinar offers an opportunity for community members, practitioners, and advocates to come together in dialogue and deepen their understanding while advancing solutions that support healing and resilience.
Expanding Access to Care for Justice-involved Youth through the Justice-Involved Reentry Initiative and Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative
Through the Justice-Involved Reentry Initiative and the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative (CYBHI) the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is implementing large scale, multi-dimensional programs aimed at expanding access to care, including behavioral health care, for Californians.
This webinar, hosted by the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), will focus on how the Justice-Involved Reentry Initiative and Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative are reducing barriers to care for youth with justice involvement. In the webinar DHCS will provide an overview of these programs, new benefits for services delivered by Peer Support Specialists, Community Health Workers, and Certified Wellness Coaches, and available resources to improve care and access for individuals reentering communities. Join DHCS and OYCR to learn about these programs, how community-based organizations are implementing them, and how to get involved, and learn from Kindful Restoration, a community provider, about the work they are doing in the Inland Empire and how these services are benefiting youth in the justice system.
Investing in the Advancement of Credible Messenger Capacity and Impact: A Relational, Culturally-Informed, and Community-Rooted Movement for Youth Justice Transformation.
This webinar explores credible messenger work as a relational, culturally grounded movement to transform outcomes for youth with justice system involvement. Participants will hear directly from probation leadership, the judiciary, credible messengers, and the youth they serve about why this work matters and what it makes possible. The webinar also provides an update on recent statewide convenings and an emerging training pilot, highlighting key findings and what expanding the movement looks like. Whether you are new to credible messenger approaches or already engaged, this session offers perspectives and practical connections that are relevant across the youth justice community.
